Getting alcohol in Toronto

The liquor laws are pretty stringent here in Ontario, here are some things to know:

• In Toronto, and the rest of Ontario, retail alcohol sale is through a government monopoly
• The main retailers that sell alcohol are LCBO, Beer Store, and The Wine Shop. You won't find alcohol in regular grocery stores and other supermarkets
• LCBO is by far the largest retailer of alcohol here, selling pretty much everything. Beer Store and Wine Shop are more specialized, and don't have as many locations as LCBO. LCBO literally stands for Liquor Control Board of Ontario.
• Be warned that alcohol prices, especially for imported wine, are generally much higher here than Europe. A bottle of average importend European wine will range from CAD$8 to CAD$25. 1 EUR ~= 1.5 CAD
• When you go to buy alcohol, make sure to bring your ID (driver's license, passport, etc.). You never know when the cashier will ask to see your ID to make sure you're over 19 years old.
• Don't be rowdy when you're buying alcohol. Cashiers have the full power to deny your purchase if they deem you're too intoxicated (this happened to me once before)
• Don't open your alcohol in public area. It's not permitted to drink alcohol in public area and you will be ticketed if you're caught.

Here's what the stores look like:

LCBO (http://www.lcbo.com/content/lcbo/en.html):

The Beer Store (http://www.thebeerstore.ca/):

The Wine Shop (http://www.thewineshops.com/):